A hero Black Watch soldier was finally laid to rest amid distressing and chaotic scenes at the graveside.
Police were called to calm the situation when trouble broke out as Private Mark Connolly’s coffin, draped in the Union flag, was taken from the hearse by his comrades.
Mourners at Newmonthill Cemetery in Forfar looked visibly shocked as Pte Connolly’s mother, Linda McComiskie, launched a foul-mouthed tirade of abuse at her son’s widow Stacy and had to be held back.
Pte Connolly, 24, from Methil in Fife, died in May 2011 after fellow squaddie Paul McKay knocked him to the ground with a single punch at a pub in Germany, where they were stationed.
The Black Watch soldier’s body remained in a London morgue during a rift between his wife and his mother over where he should be buried.
A court ruled he should be laid to rest in Forfar, according to his widow’s wishes.
The bitter family feud reignited before Friday’s burial and spilled over to the graveside.
Police officers remained there as the Afghanistan war hero’s body was finally interred before a 21-gun salute.
The military funeral brought the legal tug of love over his final resting place to a close.
Mrs McComiskie and her family had earlier expressed outrage after being turned away from the funeral ceremony at the Royal British Legion in the town.
She told The Courier: “He is my son and she had no right to do this. She has no right to take this away from me.
“But she will never take away my love for Mark and my memories.”
Pte Connolly’s stepfather Les Sneddon said: “It’s shocking that his mum and dad couldn’t attend the ceremony. We just wanted to pay our respects.
“She waited until the last minute and told us we couldn’t come in. Now we’ve got to hang about until we go up to the cemetery.
“She can’t stop us going up there.”
Pte Connolly’s brother Paul said: “I tried to talk to Stacy but she doesn’t want anything to do with us.”
A heavy police presence was already evident in Forfar yesterday, with officers on the door of the legion during the service.
A family friend of Mrs Connolly later said: “We didn’t want them to attend the service because we feared there would be trouble.”
Mrs McComiskie and her family and friends later attended the interment at the cemetery and Mrs McComiskie began shouting at Pte Connolly’s friends, which initially delayed the arrival of the hearse.
Pte Connolly suffered severe arm injuries and burns in Afghanistan in 2009. After his recovery he was praised for helping to raise money for other wounded soldiers.
Following his death in Germany, instead of being repatriated to Scotland and laid to rest, the legal wrangle between his widow and his mother delayed any funeral.
Mrs Connolly claimed she shared a tearful conversation before her husband returned to Afghanistan in which he said he wanted to be laid to rest beside her.
Mrs Connolly’s late brother is buried in Forfar and since she intends to eventually be beside him, she asked the town’s sheriff court to determine that her husband should also be interred there.
Mrs McComiskie had argued that her son should be buried in a family plot in East Wemyss but was criticised by Sheriff Valerie Johnston for her pursuit of a case.
A further memorial service will be held on Saturday in Methil.